Our research study aims to investigate how the activation of the brain’s motor system relates to the frequency in which participants engage in gambling.

The study involves doing a simple computer-based task whilst receiving short pulses of Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) over parts of the brain to produce a small twitch in the muscles of the hand.

TMS is a painless and non-invasive method of stimulating the brain. The procedure should cause minimal discomfort, and we do not expect any adverse effects from participating in the study.

The experiment lasts 60-90 minutes. You will be reimbursed for your participation. Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw from the study at any time.

Ethics committee approval number: 2016/007

Eligibility

You may be eligible to participate in this study if you:

Regularly gamble (once a week or more) on electronic gaming machines, at clubs, hotels, or casinos, or place bets on horse racing or sporting events.

Before you commence the study, you will need to complete a short health questionnaire.

You will not be able to proceed with the experiment under the following conditions:

if you have ever had an epileptic seizure

if you have a first-degree relative with epilepsy

if you have any implants in your head or other electronic medical devices (eg, pacemaker)

if you have ever had a serious head injury

if you are on psychoactive medication

if there is a chance you might be pregnant.

How to participate

If you are interested in assisting with this important and exciting area of research, please contact the study facilitator Nahian Chowdhury on 0403550537 or email to arrange an appointment or to receive more information.